This invention relates to a fingernail protector device.
Devices for protecting a fingernail during the drying of a coating of fingernail polish or enamel are well known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,487,101 to Colby et al. discloses a fingernail protector in which a shield part is pivotably connected to a finger gripping part via intertwined or interleaved coils, whereby the shield is rotatably about an axis extending parallel to the finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,066 to Dethman shows and describes a fingernail protector having a ring for attaching the device to a user,s finger, a semi-cylindrical lower cover connected to the ring, and a semi-cylindrical upper cover pivotably connected to the lower cover for rotation about an axis extending parallel to the finger.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,759 to Pfister is directed to a finger polish guard comprising a tubular member with a fingernail-shaped opening to expose the nail, a ring member for fixing the finger in position relative to the opening, and curved closure or cover for masking the nail.
In the afore-described fingernail protection devices, it appears that the shield part can close inadvertantly, for example, upon a movement of the finger. Such accidental closing of the shield is undesirable if the user is applying a coating of enamel to the finger. The unintended shield closing can cause the brush or applicator to leave a mark or an undesirable amount of enamel on the nail.
Another disadvantage of the above-described fingernail protectors is their complexity. The complexity results in an elevated production cost. It would be advantageous for an item to be manufacturable as efficiently and as inexpensively as possible.
Yet another disadvantage of at least some of the abovedescribed fingernail protectors is the likelihood of their interference with portions of the user's hand other than the finger to which the particular protector is attached.